Edinburgh named in the list of the 50 best cities in the world in Time Out survey

The British media and hospitality company surveyed 18,500 city-dwellers to find the most popular city in the world in 2025.

Livability was a key factor in the ranking this year. But a great city to live in is, naturally, a great city to visit. So, along with the thousands of responses from locals around the world, Time Out asked its global network of city experts to vote on the places they think are particularly exciting right now.

Edinburgh was the second highest ranked UK city on the list behind London in fifth, placing 13th, with Cape Town in South Africa taking top spot this year.

Edinburgh was also ranked higher than some of the world’s most famous cities including Sydney, Los Angeles, Amsterdam, Prague, Barcelona and Rio.

Edinburgh placed 13th in Time Out’s latest annual list of the 50 best cities in the world. Photo by Visit Scotland.

Time Out said of Scotland’s capital city: “Edinburgh is a compact and walkable city and going by foot is the best way to soak it all in. Robert Louis Stevenson nailed it when he described Edinburgh as ‘half a capital and half a country town’.

“We challenge anyone not to fall in love with Edinburgh when cosied up in one of its many historic pubs with a wee dram of whisky as the rain batters down outside – many a famous love story, most recently One Day, has kicked off with the city as the background and it’s easy to see why.

“We’ll take you for a tour of Leith – previously one of Time Out’s coolest neighbourhoods – before going dancing until 3am at one of the UK’s most legendary clubs.”

Pressing visitors to visit Edinburgh now, Time Out added: “There’s never been a better time to eat and drink your way around Edinburgh, whether it’s fine dining at the likes of Lyla, The Little Chartroom and Timberyard, or gorging on the city’s best cheap eats at Civerinos, Ting Thai Caravan and Chez Jules.

“Edinburgh is home to some of the UK’s, and in some cases, the world’s best cocktail bars and no night out is complete without exploring the speakeasies stashed below the city’s streets.”

A view of the Edinburgh skyline showing the Balmoral Clock and Princes Street. | Jane Barlow

Edinburgh, which topped the Time Out poll in 2022, was named the fifth-most beautiful city on the list this year and the fourth-best for green spaces and access to nature. Eighty-five percent of locals said it was easy to walk everywhere, too.

Time Out 50 best cities in the world 2025: 1. Cape Town; 2. Bangkok; 3. New York; 4. Melbourne; 5. London; 6. New Orleans; 7. Mexico City; 8. Porto; 9. Shanghai; 10. Copenhagen; 11. Chicago; 12. Lisbon; 13. Edinburgh; 14. Hong Kong; 15. Sydney; 16. Amsterdam; 17. Barcelona; 18. Seville; 19. Paris; 20. Medelin; 21. Hanoi; 22. Madrid; 23. Berlin; 24. Dubai.

25. Singapore; 26. Rio; 27. Beijing; 28. Chiang Mai; 29. Jakarta; 30. Vienna; 31. Tokyo; 32. Marrakech; 33. Perth; 34. Brighton; 35. Prague; 36. Glasgow; 37. Brisbane; 38. Marseille; 39. Budapest; 40. Los Angeles; 41. Lagos; 42. Seoul; 43. Valencia; 44. Montreal; 45. Bilbao; 46. Abu Dhabi; 47.Belfast; 48. Bristol; 49. Mumbai; 50. Warsaw.